No danger but don’t go home yet: Delhi govt to evacuees as Yamuna rises again

The Yamuna water level is on the rise again after a steady dip over the past four days, prompting Delhi Cabinet Minister Atishi to urge people to stay put in relief camps on Monday (July 17).

The Yamuna water level in Delhi at 12 noon on Monday rose to 205.80 metres from 205.58 metres at 9 am. The water level was 205.52 metres on Sunday night.

#WATCH | Delhi | Yamuna continues to overflow though the water level of the river has started receding.

Drone visuals from Old Yamuna Bridge (Loha Pul) pic.twitter.com/f90mKscjou

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2023

While Atishi attributed the rise in the water level to heavy rainfall in parts of Haryana on Sunday, Hindustan Times quoted an official as saying it happened due to the release of water from drains in Delhi.

“No danger to Delhi”

हरियाणा में कुछ इलाक़ों में कल भारी बारिश की वजह से आज यमुना का जल स्तर थोड़ा बढ़ रहा है। Central Water Commission का अनुमान है कि रात तक 206.1m तक पहुँच सकता है। दिल्ली वालों के लिए इस से ख़तरा नहीं है।

परंतु relief camps में रह रहे सभी लोगों से अनुरोध है कि वे अभी अपने घर…

— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) July 17, 2023

“The Central Water Commission estimates that the water level can reach 206.1 metres overnight. But there is no danger for the people of Delhi from this,” Atishi said in a tweet in Hindi.

“But all the people living in relief camps are requested not to go back to their homes just yet. Go back to your homes only after the water level goes below the danger mark,” she added.

#WATCH | Delhi: Slight increase in Yamuna's water level again. At 7 am, water level was recorded at 205.48 m

Water level was 205.45 m for the last 3 hours before 7 am

(Drone visuals from Mayur vihar Phase 1) pic.twitter.com/ohGrJBkmaP

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2023

However, the official quoted by HT claimed that the water level was fluctuating because accumulated water from drains in Delhi was being released into the Yamuna.

A yellow alert has been issued in Delhi for Tuesday (July 18) as the India Meteorological Department has forecast moderate rainfall for the national capital.

Also read: ‘They did not maintain Yamuna’: Haryana CM slams AAP for flood blame

The water level of Yamuna, which breached the previous record of 207.49 metres last week and crossed 208 metres on July 12, is still flowing above the danger mark of 205.33 metres.

#WATCH | Delhi | At 9 am, the water level of River Yamuna recorded at 205.58 meters, showing a slight increase from 205.50 meters recorded at 8 am.

Drone visuals from Yamuna Bank. pic.twitter.com/Av542vrXKZ

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2023

Delhi floods

Large parts of Delhi were flooded last week, requiring a joint effort from the Army, Navy, and the Delhi administration to stop the water from reaching its key areas.

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj told the media that the floods largely impacted east Delhi and northeast Delhi, with cases of conjunctivitis and skin allergy being mostly reported from the relief camps and no trends of vector-borne disease like dengue, chikungunya, and malaria.

#WATCH | Delhi | Due to the rise in water level of the Yamuna River, waterlogging situation persists in several parts of the national capital.

Visuals from ITO. pic.twitter.com/lqb4KMwFbp

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2023

As the Yamuna receded, arterial roads were reopened, while floodwaters were pumped out of Rajghat, Red Fort, and Vikas Marg.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had said earlier that the evacuated people would start returning home soon, aided by the government. He has announced Rs 10,000 as aid for every flood-hit household.

(With agency inputs)